Emmet hoeton



E. HORTON.

(No Model.)

CRATE.

Patented Oct. 5, 1886.

T Q @GQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMME'L HORTON, OF DUNDEE, NE? YORK,

OF SAME PLACE.

CRATE.

ASSIGJOR 'lt) (ll ltllitll l \VILKTN,

ESPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,134, dated October 5, 1886.

Application filed February J3, 1886 T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMET HORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dundee, in the county of Yates and State of New York, h: ve invented new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the tbllowingis a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the \Vilkin crate, patented December 22, 1885, used for picking and shipping fruit; and the objects of myimprovements are, first, to so arrange the catches or locks of the crates that they cannot be disarranged or harmed in ship ment, and that the shrinkage or swelling of the crate-heads shall not affect them in their action in transtorming the pic-kingcrates into a shippingcrate when more than one section is used; second, to prevent soiling of the fruit from the bottoms of the sections becoming muddy when used in picking, and to provide for circulation beneath the bottoms of the crates. I attain these objects by the arrangement of parts, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical section on i the line a: a', Fig. 2, of two picking-crates as combined. Fig. 2 is an end view, in full, of same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of crate ends and irons, showing more plainly the mode of attachment. Fig. 4. is a view of the section F in direction of arrow 2, Fig. Fig. 5 is a view of section B of crate-head in direction of arrow 1 Fi 3.

Similarletters referto similar parts through out the several views.

Instead of nailing the bottom slats, c c c c, to the lower edges of the head-piece B B, as in the Wilkin crate above referred to, I insert their ends within a groove, a, cut across the inside of head-pieces B B, parallel with each other, forthei rreception. Below these grooves are downward projections I) of said headpieces. These projections 1/ maybe strength ened by nails, which hold in position slats, (shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2,) and will act as legs to support the crate. This construction permits circulation through the bottoms of crates when set down together or upon the floor, and prevents the bottom slatsthat portion of the crate which rests over the fruit Serial No. 192,859.

(No model.)

when the crates are combined-from becoming muddy when a si ing-crate.

That the shrinl ngle crate is used as a pick- ;ing or swelling of the crate handle, F, the sp ring-bolt S, which is thrown forward by its spring 8, also inserted with end compression about the guide-stem s" of the bolt, until checked by its shoulder s striking against the cap-iron r, rigidly secured to the handle F, and through which theinclined por-. tion 8 of the boltprojects in corresponding position to engage with and enter the opening 0 .in the iron D, which is sustained in position by being passed or booked through the opening 0 through the crate-head B.

As those portions of the irons intended to engage with each down. upon ano equally distant, oi the cratohead have arranged tl that the swelling other when one crate is set ther should always remain or nearly so, from the edges in their relative positions, I rem in their attachment so and shrinking ol' the head of the crate cannot affect materially such dis tance, as said irons move with the edges of the head in its expan not the case when sion or contraction. Such is the bolt S is made in the form of a hook and hinged to the bottom of the head of one crate, to engage with a hook fixed near a similar one at the bottom ot'the head of another crate, as in ferred to, and in the \Vilkin crate above rewhich such shrinkage, with attachments of irons outside of the heads B B, is found to be very detrimental to the crate in actual use.

in placing one crate upon the other the in clined portion t of the iron D serves to press back the portion .9, and, w by its spring is tl bolt by slipping upon its inclined hen passed below, the bolt S irown over the portion t of the iron I), and the crates are securely locked together, and wh en desired to unlock or disengage them it is necessary to insert the finger within the hollow opening O of the iron D and push back i of said iron, the finger the catch from off the portion then resting against the shell r, when the upper crate may be readily lifted off.

TOO

3. A crate having a raised portion, F, on one side and a recess or groove, 0, Fig. 5, in its opposite side, in combination with legs I) I), substantially as set forth.

:4. The crate-iron D, having the inclined shoulder 25 and opening 0 above it, in combination with crate-head B, having opening 0" through it, and the raised part F, carrying the bolt S, substantially as set forth and described.

ENIMET HORTON.

\Vitnesses:

OHARLEs G OBLE, HARRY N. GoBLn. 

